In a scene reminiscent of professional wrestling, heavyweight Brandon Moore’s Salita Promotions debut took an unexpected turn when his opponent Skylar Lacy tackled him through the ropes and sent both men crashing through a ringside broadcast table in Flint, Michigan.
The bizarre incident occurred 51 seconds into the ninth round at the Dort Financial Center, where Moore and Lacy were competing in the co-feature event ahead of the Claressa Shields-Danielle Perkins bout. Lacy, who had already been penalized three times for holding, executed the dramatic tackle that left spectators stunned.
Moore managed to return to the ring within referee Steve Willis’ 18-count and was declared the winner by disqualification, though it likely wasn’t the debut he had envisioned.
The match had been marked by awkward exchanges throughout, as both athletes came to boxing later in life from collegiate sports backgrounds. Neither competitor established an effective jab, though Moore’s forward aggression proved more successful than Lacy’s right-hand attempts.
Excessive clinching dominated the action, with multiple point deductions occurring throughout. Moore was penalized in the fourth round, while Lacy lost points in both the fourth and fifth rounds for the same violation. By the sixth round, Moore adapted his strategy to focus on body shots with consistent forward pressure.
The seventh round drew boos from the crowd as clinches overshadowed actual punches, leading to mounting frustration from officials and spectators alike.
With this unconventional victory, Moore improves his record to 17-1 (10 KOs), marking his third consecutive win since his loss to Richard Torrez Jr. last year. Lacy, from Indianapolis, suffered his first professional defeat, bringing his record to 8-1-2 (6 KOs).
